Game of football



W. R. FURNELL GAME OF FOOTBALL Filed July 20, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 (11mm 1 VZ RPurneZZ,

what/M May 11,1926. 1,584,141

W. R. PURNELL GAME OF FOOTBALL Filed y 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 awvwvtm,

Patented it lay ,1, 1926' WILLIAM R. PUBNELL, OF NEWPORT, RHODE ISLAND.

GAME OF FOOTBALL.

Application filed July 20, 1925.

This invention relates to a game apparatus and particularly to a game apparatus of the character of the gan'ie of football, and has for its object to provide a game of this character that will be simple in construction and more efl'icient in operation than those heretofore proposed;

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in the novel details of construction and arrangements of parts as will be more fully hereinafter disclosed and particularly pointed out in the claims.

Referring to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, in which like numerals designate like parts in all the views,

Figure 1 represents a game board with the plotting device laid thereon;

Figure 2 is a side elevation-a1 view of the parts shown in Fig. 1;

Figure 3 controlling device;

Figure 4 is a central sectional view of the play controlling device illustrated in Fig. 3; and

Figure 5 illustrates a pair of dice used to determine the plays of the game.

This invention comprises four elements, namely, the field, the play controlling device, the angle plotting device, and a pair of dice. The field comprises a board 1 of rectangular shape on which is printed, lithographed, or otherwise represented the markings of a football field, as represented by the numeral 2. These markings comprise the side lines 3, the yard lines 4, and the goals 5 located at each end of the field 2. The board is further provided along the side lines 3 with the numbers as indicated, designating the five-yard lines 4, with the fiftyyard line as usual in the center of the field.

The play controlling device (see Figs. 3 and 4) comprises a bottom disk 20, a concentrically disposed disk 22 of slightly lesser diameter than the disk 20, and a play indicator arm 24, one end of which is secured pivotally to the concentric disks and 22 at the center thereof as by the rivet 25. The disks 20 and 22 and the selective play arm 24:, it will thus be seen, are adapted to be moved about the rivet25 relatively to each other.

The selective play arm 2%, as clearly indicated in the drawings, has a plurality of equally spaced areas divided by lines which are portions of the circumferences of circles is a top plan view of the play Serial No. 44,869.

number and is used in relation with the larger disk 20. The area next adjacent to Key number is Signal nun'iber and is used in relation with the smaller disk 22. The other areas of the selective play arm 2% are given names corresponding with terms used in the game of football, such for example as First down, Second down, Third down, Fourth down, Punt, Forward pass, Try for goal, and Kickoff.

The smaller disk 22 is divided, by the lines indicated at 30, each struck from the center 25 of the disk, into circumferential areas which are in turn divided as by the radial lines 31 into circular segments, all as clearly indicated in Fig. 3. These segments are provided with various legends, and in this respect, it is to be noted that the extreme outer circumferential areas are provided with the numerals indicated at 32 which, as will be seen, go from two to twelve. The inner disposed areas are provided with terms and directions which are: incident to the game of football, such, for example as indicated at 33, Fifteen yards left end and 34, Seven yards left tackle. It is to be noted that the circumferentially extending areas on the disk 22 are of the same width as the areas on the selective play arm 24, or in other words the circular lines 30 on the disk 22 register with the lines 38 on the selective play arm 2a. The outer disk 20 extends beyond its superimposed disk 22 a distancesuflicient to provide a. circumferential area approximately of the same width as the areas on the disk 22, and the said disk 20 is further provided with radial divisionlines such as 39, which are adapted to form continuations of the radial lines 31 beyond the edge of the disk 22, thereby subtending arcs of equal degree on the disk 20 to the corresponding arcs on the disk 22.

From the foregoing, it" will therefore be.

seen that the disk 22 may be moved about its center 25 while holding the outer disk 20 immovable so that different groups of directions and plays may be brought to register with any particular circumferential area 40 on the outer disk 20. Each of the circumferential areas of this outer disk 20 is provided with numeral it is to be noted that the ball having changed sides, the direction of play is in the opposite direction to the last direction of play, and therefore the angle plotting device is reversed, or so positioned on the board that the arm 51 thereof is extending to the left of its base member 50 instead of to the right of it, as shown in full lines in Fig. 1. The plotting device, in other words is placed with its edge 54 on the zero-yard line and with the arm 51 extending toward the cen ter of the field with the zero on its scale marking at the point indicated at 85, and the extended portion 56 on Center. As in the regular game of football, the conditions are now first down, ten yards to gain. In other words, ten yards must be gained by the opposing player in four downs or the ball will go to the opposing side.

The player having the ball then an nounces whether he will play first down as listed on the movable selective play arm 2%, or whether he chooses to punt or to forward pass, etc., and throws the dice three times. The ball is plotted as before. That is to say, the positions of the disks 20 and 22 are determined from the first two throws of the dice and the position of the selective play arm 24 relative to the said disks is determined from the third throw of the dice, and the directions read in that circumferential area coinciding with the play selected by the player. Play continues for four downs or until the player has gained his necessary ten yards, when it is first down again. A pin marker, such as indicated at 90, is placed on the side line 3 to mark the position of the ball at the start of play and the scale 53 on the arm of the angle plotter can be used to measure the distance gained as a result of the play.

The play continues until a score is made, when the ball is again put in play by the kick-off or until the end of a certain time period. In this respect, the play may be governed as in the regular game of football by having quarters of fifteen minutes duration, or any suitable number of minutes. At any time during the play, the player on any down, may elect to play any of the selective plays listed on the movable arm 24, but such selection must of course be made prior to the throwing of the dice.

in case the ball goes over the goal line 5, as the result of a punt or a try for goal, the opposing side places the ball in play on its own twenty-yard line opposite the point where it passed over the goal line. lVhen the ball goes out of bounds over the side lines 3, it is put in play fifteen yards from "the side line 3 and opposite the point where it crossed said line, measured perpendicularly therefor to this side line.

lVhen a player makes a try for goal, he is allowed to set the movable arm 51 of the angle plotter on Center and then move the base member 50 and arm 51 so that the movable arm passes through the center of the goal post 5. The small radial lines and 61 to the right and to the left of Center on the base member 50 of the angle plotter are for use in tries for goal.

Thus it will be seen that there is provided a game apparatuscomprising a field, a control device and a plotting device. The control device comprises two concentrically pivoted disks 2() and 22 of unequal diameters, each provided with a plurality of peripherally disposed numbers or digits 32 and 11, corresponding to the values two to twelve, that can be thrown by a pair of dice 70. One of these said. disks is further pro vided. with a plurality of sectors having legends such as 33 indicating a plurality of plays that can be made, or in other words indicating various directions and'distances that the ball can travel. It will also be observed that there is a selective arm 24. pivotally associated with said disks 20 and provided with a plurality of areas indicating different plays that can be selected at will before the dice are thrown. Further, each area of the selective arm is adapted to register with one of the legends of one of the disks such as 22, and the selective arm 24- is adapted to be brought into registry with that digit 41 on the other of the said disks, such as 20, corresponding to a value determined by athrow of the dice. When such registry is accomplished then there has been selected a particular legend governed by the play selected at will. Lastly, the plotting device is applied to the board or field to measure off and locate a position thereon corresponding to the date of said particular legend.

It is obvious that those skilled in the art may vary the details of construction as well as the arrangement of parts without departing from the spirit of the invention, and therefore it is not desired to be limited to the foregoing disclosure except as may be required by the claims.

V hat is claimed is 1. In a game apparatus of the character described, the combination of a miniature football field having representative line markings and goals; a control device provided with legends indicating a plurality of plays that can be made; a representative football; and an angular plotting device coacting with said line markings and said football by which the ball may be plotted in various angular directions at various dis tances in accordance with the above plays.

2. In a game apparatus of the character described, the combination of a miniature football field having representative line markings and goals; a control device comprising concentrically pivoted disks, one' of which has :1- plnralityof sectors provided:

different plays that can be selected at will by the player, and each;- of said last horned plays being; adopted to register with one of said legends.

3. In a game apparatus of: the character described, the combination ot' a miniature football field having representative line markings and pools; a control. device comprising' concentrically pivoteddisks one of which is 01" a greater diameter than the other and each of which are provided with it plurality of peripherally disposednumbers correspondinq' to the values that can be possibly thrown .0 a pair of dice, tlTtitl one of said disks having a. plurality of sectors provided: with legenos indicating; plurality ofplaysthat can lJH-D'lflClGl' pivoted select-me arm provided with a plurality of areas indicating different plays that can be selected at will each of said named plays being); adapted to register with one oi? said legends, and said arm being adapted to be brought into register with thstnninber on said larger- (h'sk' illilil' corresponds with. any value ohl'ill'nfid on the lust throw of the dice.

In a; game apparatus of the characterdescrihed, the combination of a. miniature footba: field having re )TQSEIllTZIi'Ql'i G line and: goals; a control: device coin- Pris 1g concentrically pivoted disks provided with peripheral digits from 2to 12, one oi? mid dislts having-ii plurality of sectors pro-- vided with legendsindicatingr uyplurulity of plays that can benmde; a selectivesrin piv oted tosaid disks and provided with ph mlitv oil wears indicating ditlerent plays that can be selectedat will, each of said pl being adopted to be brought into register with that digit corresponding to a value determined by it throw of-e pair o'f 'dicei there-- by selecting a particular legend; and means adapted to be applied toszi id held to measure oil and locate a:- positi-on: thereon corresponding; to the date of said particular legend.

In testimony whereof- I- affix my signature.

lVILLIALM R. BURN-ELL. 

